Dec 9, 2008

Sport - Football;Five chase final three Champions League knockout slots

The three remaining places in the 16-team knockout phase of the Champions League will be decided on Tuesday with five teams, including last season's runners-up Chelsea, chasing them.

The Londoners have failed to spark during their campaign so far and they find themselves facing CFR Cluj of Romania needing to win to guarantee progress from Group A.

AS Roma, who began with a shock home defeat by Cluj, have fought back well to top the group and they and Chelsea will both advance if Girondins Bordeaux fail to win in the Italian capital -- whatever happens at Chelsea.

Should the French side beat Roma, however, they would go through. If Chelsea, without suspended midfielder Frank Lampard, win, they would go with them. If they lose or draw in that situation, Roma and Bordeaux would advance.

Inter Milan are assured progress from Group B, even though they lost at home to Panathinaikos in the their last game, and can secure top spot with a win at Werder Bremen.

Panathinaikos will join them if they avoid defeat at home to impressive Cypriot debutants Anorthosis Famagusta, who need to win to go through in place of the Greeks.

The only other issue at stake on Tuesday is the finishing order in Group D, where Atletico Madrid and Liverpool both have 11 points and are through.

Both games between the two were 1-1 draws so, with Atletico one goal better off, Liverpool will try to overhaul them in their game at PSV Eindhoven as the Spaniards visit Olympique Marseille.